Darrell Allen, Visiting Assistant Professor, East Asia

Fall 2012 Semester Courses

PREVIOUSLY TAUGHT COURSES:

HIST 170: Survey East Asian Civilization I

This course surveys the history of East Asia (China, Japan and Korea) from ancient times to the mid-nineteenth century. It includes an introduction to Asian philosophies, religions, cultures, politics and societies. Students will gain a general understanding of a region that is the longest surviving human civilization still in existence.

HIST 171: Survey East Asian Civilization II

This course studies modern East Asia from the mid-19th century to the present. It examines the interactions between Western power and influence and Asian nationalism. An important theme is to discover why Japan and China took different paths in modern times.

HIST 356: History of Japan

This class examines institutional and cultural developments in Japan from the development of a centralized state to the present. We will particularly focus on the Tokugawa period, Japans' reaction to Western encroachment, its meteoric rise as an imperial power, the post WW II economic miracle and Japan's role in the contemporary world. In addition to political changes, we will also examine changing social and gender roles, religious developments and the importance of arts and crafts.

HIST 358: Asia Topics: Anime to Rampaging Monsters

This seminar introduces students to the fascinating world of Japanese popular culture. In the United States, phenomena ranging from Hello Kitty to karaoke have captured the interest of young and old alike. What is it about exports of this nature that fuels their attractiveness so far from their place of origin? And what can they tell us about the culture from which they came? This course will peer through the window upon contemporary Japanese society that its music, drama, and comics provide for us. In this process, we will collectively be encouraged to consider differences and similarities between ourselves and our neighbors across the Pacific.